News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-09-29
not seem to be. 1t was a beautiful
object lesson to us all,

The evening services were opened with
praise service conducted by Prof. NJ.
S. Stone. After short intermission,
the sound of the pipe organ was the sig
nal for quiet, and the choir rendered
some fine anthems. Rev. p. B. Fiske of
Florida offered prayer, and Hon. 2. K.
Gleed happily introduced to the audience
the speaker of the evening, Rev. G.. +.
Carter of the College Street church,
Burlington. His subject was "Charac-
ter and Its Development in the Sunday
School," To the large audience which
completely filled the church and listened
with such rapt attention, any attempt to
report that eloquent lecture will doubt
, less seem sheer mOckery. What is char
acter? 1t is the atmosphere man
carries with him. 1t is the attribute
that distinguishes man and crowns him
king over the rest OF creation. 1t is
Gods finishing touch on manhood.
Character does not end here, it reaches
beyond-from earth to heaven. Aman's
character is the most absolute possession
he has. Isolation does not tend to de-
velOp character. A child brought up in
four blank walls would become an idiot.
| Things and persons both in opposition
and in harmony develop character.
Character Is the jewel of humanity and
| its brilliancY is brought out by attrition
with other characters. 1t is Diamond
cut diamond" 1t comes from contact
and develops in the tumult of the world.
The scholars character is to be i'm
pressed upon it in the Sunday school.
| There are three agencies to be brought
into use for the work. The Bible is the
| first. Not circumstance in young
mans life but has its parallel in the
Bible. The Bible is a mirror OF human
character. Another implement is the
lives of the teachers. No matter what
you say on Sunday-they know you in
your true character of every day. The
implement that will never fail if you use
it Alright, is the character of Christ.
We come into the world as blanks, our
lives make on those blanks the charac-
tiers that determine our value or worth
lessness. And the high or low value of
those marks will determine our etern a
status.
We think that the executive committee
who provided for us this rich intellect
uaI treat, ran a serious risk of reelection
in so doing, and we greatly fear their
successors will find it hard to keep up
with the precedent thus established.
The exercises of Wednesday were
opened at a quarter before nine with a
devotional service LED by Deacon II. p
MunSOn.
Next question: What attribute of
Christ should be made most prominent
in Sunday school teaching? Treated by
Rev. w. A. Bushee. The personality of
Christ should be made prominent. not
Christ as an abstract idea, a vague, in
definite spirit, but real personal Christ.
who has loved us and still does love us.
and whom we should love and adore in
return. Not as a human Christ alone.
but as divine, who, as human, can feel
with us all our temptations and our sins,
while as divine, he is abundantly able to
atone for US. Emphasize Christ not only
as a person who lived and walked
the earth 1900 years ago, but a Christ
now ever present with us, as really as he
was with his disciples. Not make the
idea of Christ familiar in the sense that
irreverence should inSenSibly creep in.
Young America wants to be religious in
the Dung America fashion, and there
is danger that they will forget to rever-
ence Him as the One holy, divine, the
One altogether lovely, the One who was
crucitied for us.
| Next came the question drawer, con-
Quoted by Rev. Mr.. Tucker. There were
thirteen questions. all practical and ap-
prOprlate to the subjects under consider
alton, and the answers given, though
there was little time in which to consider
! them, were apt and to the point. The
question drawer, rightly conducted, is
one of the most interesting of the con-
ventiOn exercises.
| Discussion: Best method of bringing
the young to the Sunday school and to
the preaching service. Opened by Rev.
A. A. Smith, of Johnson. In general
way, the best means of bringing the
children is to bring the parents. And,
to our shame be it said, that we have
not faith enough in the power of the
| Gospel to turn those advanced in life
| into the right way. Keep the children
in the Sunday school by giving them
something worth the while when they
| get there, give them and their parents,
| both in church and Sunday school, what
they ought to have, the Gospel of truth.
| We must not cultivate a sectarian spirit
must be as glad when children or
adults come into another SHnf6da Sunday S eteht66
or church as if they came into our own.
A lively discussion followed. partici-
pated in by Deacon Tenney, Mr.. Darius
| Stafford, Mrs. Bushee, Rev. j. 2. Hall,
Rev. l.. T. Tucker, Rev. p. b. Fiske
listened to with delight by ALL
Mrs. A. Ii. Campbell of johnson next
read a paper ON Primary Teaching.
showing how children should be taught.
by giving some wrong methods of teach
ing. BY earnest request she has kindly
furnished practical programme for All
hours exercise with a primary class,
which we herewith append.
First the little ones stand and repeat
responsive scripture exercises, then this
little prayer:
Gentle Saviour, God of love,
Hear us from thy throne above,
While we meet to praise thee here,
In our Sunday school so dear,
May the lessons taught to-day
Find us ready to obey;
Make us what we ought to be.
Lead thy little lambs to thee"
Then follows, either the Lords pray, or
prayer in which the children are led by
the teacher.
Now a song, one or two, often selected
by the children.
The golden texts for the quarter are
repeated, one child giving each first,
then all together.
The pennies are collected while the
children sing,
Hear the pennies dropping
Listen while they fall;
Every one for Jesus,
He will get them ALL"
Sometimes little practical talk with
the children just here, and then follows
the lesson.
Review last lesson and connect with
the one of to-day.
After the lesson they sing again, cards
and papers are distributed, and close
with a good-by verse, 1.-The Lord watch
between me and thee while we are absent
one from another"
Various little devices are used for
illustration for instance, in lesson
concerning the christian graces, little
paper book in the form of a heart with
= Love-" ''JOy,"' 9 Peace" &C., written
inside.
A blackboard is necessary; it holds
the eye, and the thought follows.
Teachers without a separate room can
use a slate, or paper fastened on thin
board for songs can substitute whisper
songs.
Miss Annie Fullington of Johnson
gave us a charming recitation, 1.-The
Dear Little Heads in the Pew"
The report of the nominating commit
tee followed.
For President, Rev. l.. p. Tucker. of
Johnson.
For President, Rev. w. L.
Anderson, of Stowe.
For Secretary and Treasurer, Prof, a.
Ii. Campbell, of Johnson.
For Executive Committee, G.. Z. Jones
of johnson, l.. IL. Lewis of Hyde Park,
and Rev. W. E. Douglas of Stowe.
For Township Committee, A. NJ. Kel-
ley of Gilmore, Samuel Stafford, Cam
bridge, A. A. Niles, MOrrisville, Rev.
w. II. BeckWith, Eden, George Gray,
WolcOtt, G. E. Bragg, Waterville, Will
lam Tracy, Belvidere. All the names
mentioned were unanimously elected.
The following resolutions we're read by
the Chairman, Rev. ID. E. Croft